The film ‘Jaws’ is set on Amity Island in America. The film is set in the year 1974. It was a blockbuster then and it’s been 30 years and it is still is in the 20 top films.
The title sequence begins with very quiet and slow music. We can hear squeaky electronic noises. This starts to create tension. Then a single double base has been introduced to create suspense and tension. Eventually, horns, strings, and drums are introduced to the title sequence. Instruments like horns, strings and drums are usually used to show that there is something that will happen. It shows the audience that the music tells them that it is an action and suspense film. The music begins to slow down and there is a broken rhythm. It moves into a slow pace and the volume decreases. The music is dramatic and scary. It creates a sense of mystery and dread. It sounds sinister and mysterious.
The effect of the music is that it creates suspense and tension. The impact that this has upon the audience is that it makes them feel that they are here and they feel more involved. We always hear the music when there is an attack taking place.
The camera shows the point of view of the shark moving through the weeds. The camera shot that is videoed is a low angle shot. A steadicam is used close to the seabed. This gives us the audience the feeling of being a sea creature swimming, through the weeds. This makes the audience feel they are there and that the sea creature is them which is swimming. A steadicam is hand held. It mimics the movement of the shark. The music builds up and gets louder and faster. The impact that this has on the audience is that they feel tense and scared. The music reminds us of the sound of our heart; as the music gets tenser the heart beats faster. It builds to a crescendo (climax). It sounds frenzied as shark looks for food the audience feel tenser. The shots that are used in this title sequence are low angle shots and a zooming shot. A low angle shot look up and it is shot from below. This is used to show the shark’s point of view. The camera zooms in to emphasise on a certain thing or detail. The music begins slowly and then moves up to a faster tone, it creates tense and suspension. In the opening scene we as the audience can hear a mouth organ being played at the beach party. This sounds mournful and depressing. People play it when they are feeling sad or upset. The sound effects that we can hear are people talking and laughing. The colours we can see are red, yellow, orange and blue. Red symbolises danger, blood, warmth and fire. Yellow symbolises sand. Orange symbolises sunset and blue symbolises the sea. All theses colours have been used to symbolise something.
that the music reaches a high pitch. We can hear people screaming. The clothes that the majority of the people are wearing are red which symbolizes danger and death.
Finally, everything begins to calm down. The yellow lilo washes up to the shore. A medium shot is been used to show the size and openness of the sea. A Mis-en-scene is used to create suspense and tension. It also creates an atmosphere. The mother is dressed differently with a yellow hat like the yellow lilo. This prop is torn and blood stained. This indicates that the attack was very brutal and that it was a violent death. There is a contrast of yellow and red. Yellow symbolizes bright and happy. However red symbolizes danger and death. The only sound that is heard is the sound of the sea like ate the end of the first attack.
In conclusion I think that the director Steven Spielberg was very effective and successful in creating suspense and tension throughout the film. The way that Spielberg chose to insert the music before the attacks was the best thing to create suspense and tension. The effect that this had on me was that it was very dramatic and it made me feel interested and wanting to watch all the film.
My personal opinion of why it has remained such a popular film is because it is done in a classical narrative structure. Also, because of the music which builds up suspense and tension throughout the film. “Jaws” is an excellent example of a suspense and tension film which creates a sense of mysteriousness and it gets the audience thinking that something will happen due to the music and it is just an excellent example of a top action film.